History

International engagement in the conservation of earthen building materials, archaeology and architecture was first reflected in a series of still continuing and very active international conferences, which were instigated by ICOMOS in the 1970’s.

These conferences are intended to encourage an exchange of information, as a means to achieve greater understanding in earth studies and preservation efforts led by archaeologists, architects and conservation scientists. Over 36 years the focus of the “Terra” conferences has changed from archaeological sites, to standing earthen architecture, training, the use of chemicals in conservation, management planning, earthen cultural landscapes, disaster preparedness and mitigation, historic techniques informing new construction and many broader issues relating to the topic.

The papers produced from these conferences reflect the range of work being carried out, the extraordinary international partnerships being forged and the approaches to earthen architecture in an international context. The Terra papers and other contributions to these conferences represent the significant part of the literature and research related to the field of earthen architectural study.

The Terra series of international conferences continues to be held under the aegis of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Earthen Architectural Heritage. In recent years the Getty Conservation Institute, CRATerre EAG and UNESCO World Heritage Centre have been very valued supporters of the Terra series.

International Symposium and Training Workshop on the Conservation of Adobe
Lima and Cuzco, Peru – September 10-22, 1983 – Regional Project on Cultural Heritage and Development, UNDP/UNESCO and ICCROM

Fifth International Meeting of Experts on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture.
Rome, Italy – October 22-23, 1987 – ICCROM and CRATerre, under the aegis of ICOMOS-ISCEAH

Sixth International Conference on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture (Adobe 90). Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S.A. – October 14-19, 1990 – Getty Conservation Institute, Museum of New Mexico State Monuments, ICCROM, CRATerre-EAG, and the U.S. National Park Service—Southwest Region, under the aegis of ICOMOS-ISCEAH

Eighth International Conference on the Study and Conservation of Earthen Architecture (Terra 2000). Torquay, England – May 11-13, 2000 – English Heritage, University of Plymouth, ICOMOS/UK Earthen Structures Committee, under the aegis of ICOMOS-ISCEAH

Ninth International Conference on the Study and Conservation of Earthen Architecture (Terra 2003). Yazd, Iran – 29 November – 2 December 2003 – Iranian Cultural Heritage, Tehran. With the support of UNESCO, Getty Conservation Institute and CRATerre-EAG, under the aegis of ICOMOS-ISCEAH

Tenth International Conference on the Study and Conservation of Earthen Architectural Heritage (Terra 2008) . Bamako, Mali – 1-5 February 2008 – Getty Conservation Institute and Ministry of Culture of Mali. With the support of UNESCO, CRATerre-EAG and under the aegis of ICOMOS-ISCEAH

TERRA 2012 | 12th SIACOT PROCEEDINGS – 11th International Conference on the Study and Conservation of Earthen Architectural Heritage 12th Iberian-American Seminar on Earthen Architecture and Construction. With the support of UNESCO; Getty Conservation Institute; CRAterre-ENSAG; and UNESCO Chair-Earthen Architecture, Building Cultures and Sustainable development; under the Aegis of ICOMOS-ISCEAH.

Statement of Purpose

The International Scientific Committee on Earthen Architectural Heritage (ISCEAH) is issuing another Call for Expressions of Interest to find organizations and countries interested to organize and host, the next TERRA World Congress. The TERRA Congress is a worldwide congress whose themes relate to the study and conservation of earthen architectural, archaeological and cultural landscape heritage, as well as contemporary earthen architecture.

These conferences started to be organized as small meetings of professionals working in the field of earthen architecture, being the first one in 1972 in Yazd, Iran. Since then, twelve congresses were organized and have strengthened collaboration, created regional networks, generated partnerships, and produced proceedings. The number of attendees has also increased in the last congresses.

TERRA 2003 was organized in Asia (Yazd, Iran) and had approximately 350 participants; TERRA 2008 took place in Africa (Bamako, Mali) and was attended by 400 people; TERRA 2012 was organized in South America (Lima, Peru) and was attended by 550 people; TERRA 2016 took place in Europe (Lyon, France) and was attended by approximately 750 people. The 13th TERRA congress is expected to host from 600 to 1000 participants, becoming the largest and most international event organized on earthen architecture, therefore becoming its 13th World Congress.

Following the withdraw of the organizers that had been selected in 2017, by ISCEAH Board, to host the 13th TERRA World Congress, another Call for Expressions of Interest is being issued to organize and host the 13th TERRA World Congress, also known as TERRA 2021.

Important Dates

10 September 2018 – Deadline for 1st Submission of candidacies.10 October 2018 – Results of selected candidates to advance for 2nd submission10 December 2018 – Deadline for 2nd Submission of candidacies.10 January 2019 – Selection of the 13th TERRA World Congress organizer.2019 – Call for abstracts.2020 – Call for papers and post-congress tour(s) registration.2021 – Organization of the World Congress.2021 or 2022 – Publication of proceedings.

Aegis

The TERRA World Congress will occur under the aegis of ICOMOS and ISCEAH, its specialist International Scientific Committee on Earthen Architecture. ISCEAH will actively participate in the organization of the TERRA World Congress by collecting proposals and selecting the host/organizer; and by assisting in the Scientific Committee selection for the event, which will include members from the host/organizer, major international partners and ISCEAH representatives.

ISCEAH will also assist in proposing program contents, recommend and review the selection of speakers, solicit sponsoring organizations, review the congress budget and venue for adequacy, contribute for the request of financial assistance for participants from developing countries, help publishing TERRA proceedings, address the peer review of submitted papers, etc.

In addition, ISCEAH will:

Validate and address the branding of the event, as being internationally recognized under the Aegis of ISCEAH, and part of the lineage of ICOMOS TERRA events;

Assist in promoting the event worldwide, through joint efforts to broad its dissemination, the website postings for call for papers, and the event itself;

Request that organizers prepare the event to value earthen architecture and earthen heritage in the organizing country and if possible, in the continent too [e.g. exhibitions, thematic sessions, post-congress tour(s), etc.];

Advise and support from past TERRA organizers;

Provide an ISCEAH representative to be a member of the Organizing Committee;

Be actively involved on the Scientific Committee members selection;

Help with acquiring financial assistance from countries, international organizations, foundations, etc. for travel and subsistence of speakers, students and delegates from developing countries;

Advice and contribute on the form and scope of publications;

Contribute to the peer-review of papers and the final selection of papers to be presented at the World Congress and to be published in the proceedings;

Assist with the World Congress proceedings production, when applicable;

Make efforts for the World Congress proceedings to be online for free download, at least two years after the publication, if not before;

Disseminate the World Congress conclusions and recommendations, through ICOMOS’ and ISCEAH’ websites, newsletters, national and international committees.

1st Submission

Deadline: 10 September 2018

Responders to this Call for Expressions of Interest are to prepare a preliminary proposal identifying the following:

Location and feasibility of venue;

Proposed dates for organizing the congress and usual climate on that time of the year;

Relevance of location regarding the existence of earthen architectural, archaeological and cultural landscape heritage and contemporary architecture, and the opportunity to contribute for its value and protection;

Assurance of safety for participants and organizers;

Tentative schedule;

Proposed partners, collaborators and sponsoring organizations;

Preliminary costs;

Proposed sources of funding;

Suggestions for the main theme or the subthemes of the study and conservation of earthen architecture congress and the relevance of its scientific and social aim as a way to improve the development of communities;

Assurance of the existence of accommodations with different quality standards, and their proximity to the venue;

Official languages of the World Congress;

Information regarding the issuing of Visas and the existing of restrictions for entering the country.

Results of the 1st Submission

ISCEAH Board will review responses, and proposers will be informed of the results by the 10th of October 2018.

2nd Submission

Deadline: 10 December 2018.

A short list of responder(s) will be asked to further develop their proposal with:

Details of venue (accessibility to major airports and other transports; capacity of the congress venue in terms of expected number of participants; quality of the congress venue; availability of rooms for interpretation and for meetings; availability of spaces for exhibitions and for workshops; etc.)

Suggestions for main scientific sub-themes to be later reviewed and approved by ISCEAH;

Potential of the country and the region, to value the conservation of earthen architectural, archaeological and cultural landscape heritage through the organization of TERRA World Congress;

Preliminary timeliness, program and schedule proposal for the congress (proposed time period, number of days, number of presentations, suggested post-congress tours, etc.);

Committed sources of funding from different entities and stability of the secure funding;

Proposed sources of funding for each of the congress activities (pre and/or post-congress workshops and tours; congress material to be delivered to participants; proceedings, interpretation services for simultaneous sessions during the congress, translation of papers for the proceedings, etc.);

Presentation of the different types of post-congress tours to be considered, workshops, exhibitions, etc. (number, costs, variety).

Final Selection of the Congress Organizer

Deadline: 10 January 2019

ICOMOS-ISCEAH will formally inform all the proposers regarding the final selection of the organizer. The selected World Congress organizer will be requested to formally accept the task. ICOMOS-ISCEAH will then disseminate the news through ICOMOS’, ISCEAH’s and other partner websites.

Formalization of Agreement

An agreement should be signed between ICOMOS-ISCEAH and the selected organizer and be formalized and finalized soon after notification. The Congress Scientific Committee should be selected and in place soon thereafter.